Back-band buckle



No. 627,339. Patented lune 20, I899 J. .W. KIRKMAN.

- BACK BAND BUCKLE.

(Applicajsion filed May 6, 1898.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT Unrrcn.

JAMES \V. KIRKMAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

BACK-BAND BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,839, dated June 20, 1899.

Application filed May 6, 189B. Serial No. 67.9;924. (No model.)

To all whom it may concernr Be it known that 1, JAMES W. KIRKMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Back-Band Buckles; and I do-hereby declare the following to be a full; clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to back-band buckles or trace-carriers, and has for its object to provide a cheap, simple, durable, and eifective article of the character referred to which may be quickly secured upon the back-band of a set of harness and which may be adjusted up and down to any desired point thereon, ac-

cording to the size of the animal and the height of the traces or tugs.

It is also the object of this invention to construct the buckle in one piece, the same being formed or struck from sheet metal and bent to obtain the proper bite upon the strap.

The detailed objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the course of the subjoined description.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims hereto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the buckle detached from the band. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the buckle and band, showing the manner in which the band and buckle are associated. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the blank from which the buckle is formed. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a slightly-modified form of buckle.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the views.

The back-band buckle contemplated in this invention is formed in one piece, preferably from sheet metal, the same being primarily formed or struck out or stamped, as indicated in Fig. 3, so as to comprise an oblong portion 1, constituting the main frame of the buckle, and a right-angular portion or tongue 2, extending centrally from the part 1. The frame lis of a length slightly greater than the width of the back-band 3 to which the buckle is to be applied and is provided with two parallel slots 4 and 5, equal in length to the width of the back-band and designed to receive the same, the said slots being separated by an intervening Web 6. The frame 1 is bent in such manner that the web 6, or that portion which intervenes between the two slots,extends substantially at a right angle to the main body of the framel, and in this manner the two slots, while extending in parallel relation to .each other, are located in different planes.

That portion of the frame in which the upper slot is formed extends at a right angle to the web 6 and in a substantially parallel plane to the main body of the frame 1. The terminal or upper edge of the frame is bent inward atsuhstantially a right angle and parallel to the web 6 to form aterminal binding or biting edge 7, which terminates, substantially, in the plane of the main body of the frame 1. The edge 7 is preferably sharpened somewhat to secure a firmer bite and grip upon the back-band, and the outer edge of the web 6 may also be sharpened for the same purpose. The right-angular portion or tongue 2 is deflected slightly outward from its point of junction with the frame 1 to cause the buckle as a whole to hang vertically from the backband and is recurved or bent at the point 8 and thence extended upward while inclining slightly outward to form a receptacle for the tug ortrace, thus constituting ahook designed to receive one of the links of a chain trace. The upper extremity of the hook is again reourved or bent to extend downward and slightly inward, thereby forming a .smaller book 9, which will prevent the upward accidental displacement of the trace after the same has been connected to the buckle.

The lower end of the back-band is inserted through the lower slot from the inner side of the buckle and then carried over the intervening web and passed through the upper slot from the outer side. It is then carried outward over the upper edge 7 of the buckleframe and is again inserted through the lower slot from the outside and drawn,taut against the inner surface of the buckle-frame. This causes the outer edge of the web and the inner edge 7 of the upper terminal portion of the frame to bite forcibly against the backband, thereby obtaining a firm and positive hold upon the back-band and preventing any possibility of the buckle slipping up or down on the band.- At the same time the buckle may be readily adjusted up and down to any desired position upon the back-band, according to the animal to which the harness is applied and according to the height of the trace.

The back -band buckle hereinabovc described is extremely simple in manufacture, economical in construction, and obviates all tendency of slipping up or down on the backhand caused by the jolting and jerking of the traces or tugs.

In Fig. 4 Ihave shown the terminal portion or edge 7, or that part which lies parallel to the web 6, omitted, the bite upon the band coming upon that portion of the buckle-frame which lies outside of and beyond the slot 5. This economizes in weight and metal and also reduces to a slight extent the length of the back-band. It is also within the scope of this invention to have the two slots 4 and 5 out of parallelism, as this may be desirable under some conditions.

It will of course be understood that the buckle as a whole is susceptible of changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction and disposition of the several biting edges, which may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described theinvention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. A back-band buckle, comprising a frame bent to form two portions lying in different but substantially parallel planes, said portions having band-receiving slots, and a web intervening betweenthe slotted portions and disposed at substantiallya right angle to the main body of the frame, substantially as described.

2. A back-band buckle, embodying a frame having portions thereof arranged in different but substantially parallel planes and provid ed with slots designed to receive the backband, a Web intervening between the slots and extending at substantially a right angle to the main body of the frame, and a terminal portion extending substantially parallel to the web and around which the band is designed to be passed, substantially as described.

3. A back-band buckle, embodyinga frame comprising two portions arranged in different but substantially parallel planes, each portion having a'band-receiving slot, a web intervening between the slots and disposed at substantially a right angle to the body of the frame, and a terminal portion extending substantially parallel with the web, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two itnesses.

JAMES \V. KIRKMAN.

W itn esses MURRAY HANSON, WILLIAM H. BERRY. 

